How do you identify keywords with business value?

To identify keywords with business value, first check whether they match your target customers’ needs and whether your products, services, and pages can meet those needs. Then compare search volume, cost per click (CPC), and ranking difficulty. High search volume suggests a potentially larger audience, while high CPC is a clue to commercial potential; neither alone proves that a keyword will generate conversions for your brand. Prioritize keywords that relate to the buying journey, while checking that your content can meet searchers’ needs and your site has a chance of competing in search results.

Ask what searchers need before deciding which keywords to target

In a 2023 article, yesharris noted that getting a page to rank on the first page of search results for a keyword is not necessarily useful for a business. The term may not suit the brand, or it may attract visitors who do not convert because the landing page fails to meet their expectations. Research should therefore begin not with a list of the highest-volume keywords, but by examining the consumer journey—from recognizing a problem and gathering information to comparing specifications and prices and deciding to buy.

• Who searches for this term? Are they among your target customers?
• What problem are they trying to solve? Do they want information, a comparison of options, or a service?
• What page can you provide to meet their needs at that moment?

As part of our content services at Procrustes, we turn questions that genuinely matter to customers into articles, with ongoing planning, writing, and updates.

A historical case study from awoo used Taiwan Sakura as an example, arguing that “water heater repair” was unsuitable for a page primarily selling water heaters because searchers expected repair services. This was an assessment of a specific page at the time. It does not mean that repair keywords inherently lack business value, nor does it establish what services the brand offers today.

Interpret search volume, CPC, and ranking difficulty separately

In its 2025 overview, Semrush used monthly search volume to estimate potential reach and keyword difficulty to measure how hard it is to rank in the top ten. It also used a site-specific difficulty metric to assess a domain’s ranking prospects. These metrics answer different questions, so you should not select keywords based solely on how high or low a single metric is.

• Search volume: Helps estimate the scale of demand, but you still need to confirm that searchers’ needs are relevant to your business.
• CPC: Reflects the average cost advertisers pay for a click. High CPC can indicate business value and sales potential, but it does not guarantee that your page will generate sales.
• Ranking difficulty: Helps assess your chances of competing in search results. When choosing keywords, consider both ranking difficulty and content relevance rather than simply chasing popular terms.

Do not discard all informational keywords; deprioritize those that lack value

“Not ready to buy yet” does not mean “not worth reaching.” Pre-purchase questions, comparisons that influence decisions, and queries that help consumers recognize a problem can all connect to the buying journey. The key is being able to explain which audience the content helps and which business-relevant problem it solves.

In its discussion of zero-click keywords, Semrush also noted that these terms can help more people become familiar with a brand. At the same time, it recommended avoiding purely factual queries with no commercial intent, comparisons with no room for differentiation, and topics beyond your expertise. Initial screening should therefore not mean excluding all informational keywords. Instead, deprioritize terms that are unrelated to your business, reflect needs you cannot meet, or offer little room to compete. Keep the rest as candidates for further evaluation.